Weatherproof cushion



March 12, 1957 D. l.. Rom/LAND WEATHERPROOF CUSHION 2 Shees-Sheet l Filed Nov.

INVENTO-R. 0A v/D LA RowLAm/o BY Q-pulu ofd ATTORNEY March 12, 1957 D. l.. ROWLAND 2,784,773

WEATHERPROOF CUSHION Filed Nov. 25, 195s 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR,

0A V/D L. ROWLANO BY MMM @am A T T0 /M/E Y Unite States This invention relates to improvements in cushions for seats, mattresses, and the like, and relates particularly to a thoroughly washable weather-proof cushion ofthe type havingsprings, padding, and upholstery.

Heretofore, seat cushions were not thoroughly washable, and were not weather-proof, because some of the combinations of materials from which they were made were not weather-proof. In instances where one material, such` as the upholstery fabric, was weatherproof, other parts, such as the padding and springs, were not. As a result the springs tended to rust, and the pad tended :to mildew, so that the cushion as a Whole deteriorated when exposed to moistureor when washed with water. Once these prior art cushions became soiled with liquids and other staining substances, they could not be thoroughly cleaned without removing the upholstery from `the cushion so that it could be cleaned or washed separately, removing soiled padding, cleaning rust off the springs, replacing the padding or putting in new padding, and then covering it with the upholstery. Since this task was diicult and bothersome, the housewife usually sent cushions out to an upholsterer to have this done, at considerable expense.

Another problem with padded cushions heretofore in use was that they became traps for dust and dirt, and their interiors could not be cleaned by brushing or by running a vacuum cleaner over the surface, and no matter how hard a cushion was beaten, it was impossible -to beat all the dirt and dust from it. Complete cleaning required taking the cushion apart.

Another trouble with the padded cushions heretofore in use was that when the upholstery fabric was wiped with a damp cloth or otherwise became wet, it could not readily be dried, because the padding underneath the upho'lstery fabric acted as a barrier to prevent the circulation and passage of air. Moreover, the water which got inside the cushion, from rain or from accidental spilling, soaked down into the padding, and if it went through, it was unable to pass out of the cushion; therefore, it stayed inside and started the mildew, rust, etc., referred to.

The` present invention has solved these problems by providing a cushion in which all the parts are water-proof and in which the dirt may be washed out easily and the cushion may be dried quickly, without having to take the cushion apart. 'The cushion is not only weather-proof, but is loosely constituted so that water which gets on the surface can flow on through it. The invention not only incorporates padding material or materials which are water-proof, but also includes upholstery that is loosely woven orotherwise loosely constituted and an insulator which is perforated or otherwise closely constituted, similarto the `upholstery so that water and :air can pass through them freely. The cushion springs are rustproofed by a coating of. water-proof plastic, while the insulator material which separatesthe padding from the springs is water-proof and also allows a ready flow of water therethrough. In addition, the cushion components atent O ice all allow free passage of air so that a wet cushion can4 be rapidly dried.

Thus it will be seen that the invention has as its objects: the provision of a completely washable and weather-proof cushion for chair seats and the like; the provision of a cushion which can be cleaned without taking it apart and is readily dried; sand the provision of a structure through which air can pass readily, for drying and so that dust can be blown out through it or sucked from it by a vacuum cleaner.

Other objects and ladvantages of the `invention will appear from the following descriptions of some preferred embodiments presented in accordance with 35 U. S. C. 112.

In the drawings: 4

Fig. l is a view in perspective of a sea-t cushionembodying the principles of the present invention. Onelcor-.4 ner is shown broken away to expose the interior structure."

Fig. 2 is a View in cross section taken along the line V2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is -a plan view showing a portion of the Vup-` holstery fabric in detail.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of a portion of the perforated pad. Fig. 6 is a plan View of a portion of the insulator fabric. Fig. 7 is a view in section similar to the upper portion of Fig. 3 illustrating a modified form of the invention. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 illustrating another modified form of the invention.

Fig. 9 `is an enlarged view of a portion of the lower u padding member shown in Fig. 8.

The cushion 10 shown in Fig. 1 is a padded and uphol` stered coil spring unit. The basic parts of the cushion, y .all of which are illustrated in detail 4in Figs.i3-6, arerthe outer upholstery 11, the padding 12, the insulator fabric 13, and the coil spring units 14. Since the cushion 10 is assembled from the inside out, these elements will be described beginning with those furthest inside.

The coil spring unit 14 may be made substantially according to presen-t practice, with the exception that all parts, including the springs 15 and border wires 16 Vare provided with la coating 17 of any of several water-proof,

weather-proof materials, which are preferably 'liexible so that the spring wires 15 may flex without cracking the coating 17. One method of accomplishing this result is illustrated in my copending application, Serial No. 385,352, led October 12, 1953. Whatever the method, the coating 1,7 may be a soft form of tar, neoprene rubber, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, polyethylene, or other iiexible and water-proof materials. solves the problem of protecting the springs from rust.

The spring unit 14 is encased in the insulator fabric' 13 (Fig. 6). The fabric 13 is also weather-proof, preferably being a fabric 20 covered with a coating 21 chosen from... the same group of materials that can be used to coat theV spring unit 14. The insulator fabric 13 may be prepared in the form of a cloth bag 22 (Fig. 2) preferably so sewed t as to hold the springs 15 under a slight compression and@ thereby slightly depress the spring cushion unit 14 in the manner which is well known to the industry.

ln order to provide ready passage of air and water through the insulating fabric 13, the warp threads 23 `are spaced apart, preferably by a distance at least equal to the diameter of the threads 23 and preferably slightly greater,

`as shown in Fig. 6. The weft threads 24 are similarly' spaced. i

Instead of being made from cloth, the insulator 13 may be made from` paper which has been weather-proofed and" perforated in a manner that lwill allow a ready passage of. air and water. Non-weatherproof threads or papertmayi;`

be dipped to provide the coating 21. The insulating layer This thoroughly may also be woven directly from weather-proof threads or'may be made from a water-proof, weatherproof, rustrepellenty plastic. lBecause such plastic is expensive, the cloth bag 22 dipped in plastic is normally preferred.

The insulating layer 13 is surrounded bythe padding 12, which is held in place by the upholstery fabric 11 that surrounds and encases it. The padding material 12 must be water-proof and Weatherproof and porous enough to allow ready passage of air and water through it. One manner of achieving this result is illustrated in Fig. 3 where the padding 12 is shown made from foam rubber or rubberized wool sponge, and is provided with a large plurality of perforations 25 which pass completely through the padding 12. Preferably, the perforations 25 are provided with a bevel 26 at their outer ends. This gives the minimum area of Contact between the upholstery fabric 11 and the padding7 12, thus providing very good air passage through the fabric 11 and into the padding perforations 25. As shown in Fig. 2, the padding may be made as a sheet and wrapped around the insulator bag 22.

The upholstery fabric 11 may be applied in the conventional manner, so long as it is composedl of any weatherproof and water-proof material or any combination of such materials and so long as it is loosely constituted, as shown' in Fig. 4 where the threads 27 are spaced widely, taking up less room than the space between them. The fabric 11 may be made directly from synthetic fibres or from organic fibres coated with vweather-proof fabric such as Saran, vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, cellulose acetate, polyethylene, etc.

It will thus be seen how the cushion of Fig. 1 is completely weather-proof and thoroughly water-proof and washable. The upholstery fabric 11 will not be affected by weather or Water and can be washed off by wiping it with a damp rag. The padding material 12 is similarly washable, and water can pass through the perforations 25 and therefore out of the padding. The insulator fabric 13 is plastic and water-proof, and the springs assembly 14 is protected by plastic coating. If Water gets on the cushion, it can pass through the upper upholstery fabric 11, through the perforations 25 in the padding 12, through the insulator fabric 13, through the open spring assembly 14, through the lower layer of insulator fabric 13, through the perforations 25 of the lower layer of padding 12, and out of the cushion through the lower layer of upholstery fabric 11. A vacuum cleaner motor may be used to assist drying it by blowing air through it, or the cushion may simply be placed in a dry, or windy location, and it will dry. Stains and dirt may be removed by washing the cushion, and dust and dirt may be removed by using a vacuum cleaner to suck the dirt out or to blow it out.

A modified form of padding is illustrated in Fig. 7 where the padding 12 consists of two layers 30 and 31. The inner layer 30 is of curled hair (also called rubberized hair) or rubberized sisal, rubberized coir (coconut fibre), rubberized cactus fibre or other appropriate Water-proof padding of that general type. This padding 30 is sutiiciently loosely constituted to permit the passage of water and air through it, but the ends of hair or sisal would tend to poke up through the upholstery fabric 11 and cause discomfort. Therefore, an additional outer layer 31 of padding is provided between the upholstery fabric and the inner padding layer. As shown in Fig. 7, this may compri-se a perforated layer of foam rubber, or rubberized wool padding, or rubberized synthetic bre padding. The perforations 32 permit the passage of waterV and air between the readily permeable upholstery fabric and the readily permeable hair or sisal padding.

Fig. 8 illustrates another modification similar to the Fig. 7 modification but in which the outer padding layer 33 is made from very loose felt made of rubberized organic libresk or from any of the many synthetic Water-proof fibres such. as glass wool, vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, cellulose acetate, Dacron, Orlon, nylon, viscose,` or blends of these'materials. Since this material is very loose, it does in Figs. 1 through 6. Rubberized hair or' rubberized wool does this because, in the rubberizing process, the individual fibers are stuck to each other with rubber or synthetic rubber in a suspended fashion so that they will not mat and prevent the passage of water or air.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing ernbodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting. For example, the' principles of the invention apply to mattresses and automobile seat cushions, as well as seat cushions for house and garden chairs and sofas.

I claim:

1. An air-permeable, self-draining, thoroughly weatherproof and thoroughly washable cushion, including in combination, a spring assembly comprising metal springs coated with an elastic flexible, weatherproof and waterproof plastic material; a loosely-constituted, air-permeable, water-permeable insulating layer surrounding said spring assembly and having a weatherproof, Waterproof plastic surface material; a weatherproof, waterproof airpermeable, water-permeable, padding layer surrounding. said insulating layer; and a waterproof, weatherproof, air-permeable water-permeable upholstery fabric surrounding and confining said padding layer.

2. The cushion of claim 1 in which said insulating layer comprises loosely-woven plastic coated cloth, with theV threads being spaced apart by a distance greater than their own diameter and in which the upholstery fabric has its threads spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of the threads themselves.

3. The cushion of claim 1 in which said padding layer comprises perforated rubberized material.

4. The cushion of claim 3 in which said perforations are enlarged in diameter adjacent the upholstery fabric.

5. The cushion of claim 1 in which said paddinglayercomprises an inside layer of loosely packed curled organic fibers and an outer layer of perforated material.

6. The cushion of claim l in which said padding layer comprises an inside layer of loosely packed curled organic fibers and an outer layer of loosely disposed mat-proofed fibers.

7. An air-permeable, self-draining, thoroughly weatherproof and thoroughly washable cushion, including in combination, a coil spring assembly having metal spring wires completely coated with an elastic flexible, weatherproof and waterproof plastic material; an air-permeable, waterpermeable insulating fabric bag and having a weatherproof, waterproof plastic surface material, with the spaces between threads being larger than the threads themselves, said bag surrounding said spring assembly and holding said spring assembly under compression; a weatherproof, waterproof air-permeable, Water-permeable, padding layer surrounding said insulating layer; and a loosely woven waterproof, weatherproof, upholstery fabric surrounding and confining said padding layer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

